AGP Executive Report

Ebola Travel Crackdown: The U.S. invoked Title 42 for the first time since COVID, imposing a 30-day entry restriction on non-U.S. travelers who recently visited DR Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan after an American doctor tested positive for the rare Bundibugyo strain—raising fresh questions for summer travel, including World Cup plans with Houston as a host base. Houston Safety & Traffic: Houston police are investigating a fatal crash on Irvington Boulevard that killed a 44-year-old man, while Sabine Pass saw a deadly multi-vehicle crash involving a van and an empty Hotard bus that left at least four dead. Local Government: Jasper County Commissioners Court approved a compressed 4-day work week for full-time hourly staff, but courthouse hours stay the same. Travel Watch: A storm system is set to bring heavy rain and possible severe weather to the Houston area Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, with flooding concerns for commuters. Sports & Texas: The Steelers’ 2026 schedule is out (including a Paris game and four prime-time dates), and Frisco’s Dylan Dreiling earned Texas League Player of the Week honors.

Wrong-Way Crash: Marble Falls police say a wrong-way, three-vehicle crash on US 281 killed at least five people Sunday, including two children (ages 3 and 5), after a Nissan pickup entered the southbound lanes and hit a BMW before a head-on collision with a Hyundai. Airport Upgrade: In Houston, IAH Terminal E was officially renamed for late Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, honoring her decades of aviation and security work. Family Travel Push: Separately, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced $8 million for DFW International Airport to modernize five restrooms with family-friendly features. Wildfire Watch: Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller urged Panhandle residents to stay vigilant as red-flag conditions and fast-moving fires continue. Ethics Questions: A road-trip reality project tied to Sean Duffy’s family faces fresh scrutiny over sponsor transparency, with several major backers declining to say how much they paid. Buc-ee’s Update: Buc-ee’s says there’s no plan for a Pennsylvania location in Plainfield Township, despite rumors.

World Cup Ticket Buzz: The priciest resale seats aren’t for the final alone—Colombia vs Portugal in Miami is the second-most expensive group match, with a cheapest asking price of $2,254, driven by star power, big fan bases, and Miami’s party pull. Gas + Transit: With gas averages pushing past $4.50 nationwide (and $6+ in California), public transit ridership is ticking up in places with real service—San Diego and parts of California are seeing notable gains. Texas Weather Watch: A cold front is sparking strong storms across the Dallas–North Texas metro, with hail, damaging winds, lightning, and heavy downpours possible. Austin Safety Update: Austin lifted a shelter-in-place order after teens were arrested in connection with at least 10 random shootings that left four injured. Local Sports: Frisco’s Dylan Dreiling earned Texas League Player of the Week after a big power surge vs Northwest Arkansas.

Secret Service Crackdown (Houston): Federal agents say a two-day operation in Harris County turned up 14 card-skimming devices after visits to nearly 400 businesses and inspections of more than 3,100 payment terminals, gas pumps, and ATMs—officials estimate about $14.5 million was prevented from being stolen. Sports Spotlight (Frisco): RoughRiders slugger Dylan Dreiling was named Texas League Player of the Week after a five-game burst that included four homers, 19 total bases, and a .368 average. WNBA Home-Court (Arlington): The Dallas Wings host the Washington Mystics, with coach Jose Fernandez pushing a tougher, less selfish mindset after early-season losses. Border Wall Backlash: Indigenous leaders and tribal voices are renewing criticism that U.S. border wall construction is desecrating sacred sites. Public Health Watch: WHO declared the DRC and Uganda Ebola outbreak a public health emergency of international concern.

Minor League Spotlight: Frisco RoughRiders slugger Dylan Dreiling just earned Texas League Player of the Week after a big burst vs. Northwest Arkansas—four homers in five games, plus a .368 week and a .909 OPS—setting up a new six-game series in Midland. Sports Momentum: In the majors, Phillies ace Cristopher Sánchez struck out a career-high 13 and extended his scoreless streak to 29 2/3 innings as Philadelphia beat the Pirates 6-0. NFL Update: Aaron Rodgers is expected to sign a one-year deal with the Steelers worth up to $25 million, with reporting set for Monday OTAs. Local Track Glory: Richland Springs’ boys brought home three state championships and six medals total at UIL Class A, even after a late-team-race swing. Travel & Tech: DFW is set to get $24M from new federal airport funding aimed at modernizing air traffic and handling World Cup crowds. Civic Fight: Thousands rallied in Montgomery over a Supreme Court redistricting ruling that cuts majority-Black districts.

Travel & Air Routes: Southwest launched its first-ever flights to Alaska, adding seasonal Denver–Anchorage and Las Vegas–Anchorage service—another reason Texans will be eyeing more nonstop options. Retail Speed Race: Walmart and Amazon are pushing to speed deliveries to rural America, betting that “too remote” areas are the next big sales frontier. World Cup Reality Check: U.S. hotels say World Cup hype hasn’t turned into the bookings they expected, with prices and ticket/visa friction keeping demand softer than hoped. Texas Safety Watch: A small plane crash near Austin killed five pickleball players; investigators say freezing instrument issues and anti-icing problems may have played a role. Local Politics: Houston’s District C council seat heads to a runoff after no one cleared 50%—water, streets, and the city budget process are front and center. Sports: Frisco RoughRiders’ Dylan Dreiling earned Texas League Player of the Week after a big home-run surge.

Highway Fix in the Works: Williamson County is moving ahead with plans to ease SH 29 congestion between Georgetown and Liberty Hill, pairing near-term intersection relief with bigger freeway changes as traffic cameras show what commuters already feel. Austin Tourism Boost: Downtown Austin keeps pulling in visitors—over 160,000 a day—while the lower portion of Texas’ tallest building, Waterline (1 Hotel Austin), is set to open in August. Aviation Safety Watch: The NTSB says a small plane crash near Wimberley that killed five pickleball players involved freezing anti-icing/airspeed equipment before the aircraft broke apart midair. Sports on the Field: Frisco RoughRiders’ Dylan Dreiling earned Texas League Player of the Week after a four-homer surge, and Austin FC hosts Sporting Kansas City after a rough midweek loss. Community Events: Beach to Bay returns to Corpus Christi Saturday with sold-out teams, major road closures, and heat concerns.

Robotics & Safety: Southwest just tightened its rules, banning humanoid and animal-like robots on flights after a viral “Stewie” incident. Autonomous Tech Watch: Tesla Robotaxis were tied to at least two remotely operated low-speed crashes in Austin, with newly unredacted NHTSA records adding detail. World Cup Travel: Hotel prices in host cities are dropping as the tournament nears, with some rates already correcting from earlier expectations. Heat Risk: A new analysis warns dangerous heat and humidity could make dozens of World Cup matches riskier than in 1994. Texas Courts & Politics: The Texas Supreme Court rejected GOP efforts to punish Democrats who fled the state over redistricting. Local Life: Frisco RoughRiders’ Dylan Dreiling earned Texas League Player of the Week honors, and two men died in a Callahan County ATV crash. Wildfire Update: Five fires are burning across Texas, including multiple in the Panhandle.

NFL Schedule Drop: The league’s full 2026 slate is out, kicking off Sept. 9 with a Super Bowl rematch—Seahawks vs. Patriots—and featuring a record nine international games, including the Rams-49ers opener in Melbourne. Texas Football Spotlight: Houston’s 2026 schedule highlights a London trip (vs. Jacksonville in Week 6) plus four primetime games, while the Texans’ Week 1 starts at home vs. Buffalo. Minor League Buzz: Frisco RoughRiders’ Dylan Dreiling was named Texas League Player of the Week after a big week that included four homers and a .368 average. Travel & Safety Watch: A small medical plane crashed in New Mexico’s Capitan Mountains, killing all four aboard and sparking a wildfire as investigators work to determine the cause. World Cup Readiness: With FIFA’s U.S. host cities set, Houston and other Texas areas are still tracking visitor demand and security planning ahead of summer.

Extreme Heat Watch: England fans heading to the World Cup opener in Arlington face serious health risk on the way to matches and at outdoor fan zones, with researchers warning Dallas-area conditions could hit dangerous heat-stress levels. Public Health Spread: A CDC report highlights how dengue can take hold in the U.S. when conditions tip from “barely not enough” to sustained local transmission—an LA example that should keep Texans paying attention. Hantavirus Update: No Americans are reported sick from the cruise outbreak, but health officials are still tracking exposures tied to the MV Hondius. Tech & Travel: Canvas is the target of new federal lawsuits after a cyber attack disrupted finals, while airlines are gearing up for summer demand as fuel costs squeeze margins. Texas Growth: Fast-growing suburbs in major metros continue to surge, with North Texas cities leading the nation’s small-city population gains. Space & Tourism: SpaceX is pushing toward another Starship test launch from Texas, adding to the state’s growing “watch it in person” space buzz.

World Cup Travel Heat Check: Houston’s World Cup build is already showing up in travel searches—KAYAK reports flight searches to Houston up 60% year over year, with hotel rates averaging about $265 (+56%) as the tournament nears. Local Tourism Reality Check: Still, some U.S. hotel operators say the promised hotel boom hasn’t fully arrived yet, with bookings lagging in several cities as international travel worries and visa timing concerns bite. NFL Schedule Day: The 2026 NFL slate drops today, with fans already circling marquee matchups and the league’s travel grind. Texas Sports Spotlight: Frisco RoughRiders’ Dylan Dreiling earned Texas League Player of the Week after a big power week, and Arkansas edged Northwest Arkansas in extra innings to keep momentum rolling. Health & Safety Buzz: Hantavirus chatter continues online after the MV Hondius cases, while local travelers are being urged to stick to basic precautions.

World Cup Travel Backlash: New Jersey cut World Cup shuttle bus prices to MetLife Stadium by 75% after fan outrage—$80 rides dropped to $20, with refunds for earlier buyers and bigger bus capacity planned for multiple matches. Houston & Texas World Cup Reality Check: U.S. hotel operators say the promised booking boom hasn’t fully arrived yet, with some cities running behind typical demand as fans weigh visa worries, ticket costs, and transit hassles. Public Health Watch: Health officials across multiple states are monitoring people after a hantavirus outbreak tied to the MV Hondius cruise ship, with the WHO stressing the broader public risk remains extremely low. Local Development Tension: Clearwater, Florida scheduled a special session on May 28 to discuss downtown Scientology development plans, including street and parcel requests. Texas Crime Update: In Hardin County, a Nederland woman was indicted after investigators say she tried to hire a hitman to kill her ex-husband. Sports Spotlight: Frisco RoughRiders’ Dylan Dreiling was named Texas League Player of the Week after a big home-run surge.

Autonomous-Vehicle Scrutiny: Austin-based Avride is under federal investigation after NHTSA opened a probe tied to 16 reported crashes in Austin and Dallas, including reports that its cars changed lanes into other vehicles and failed to slow for stopped traffic. Air Travel Fallout: A Texas law firm says it will sue Denver and county officials for a “preventable” Frontier runway incident that killed a person during takeoff and left passengers dealing with smoke and injuries. Road-Trip Reality Check: With gas prices pushed higher by the Middle East conflict, commuters in places like Dallas-Fort Worth are bracing for bigger monthly fuel bills. World Cup Watch (Dallas): New KAYAK data shows Dallas flight searches up 64% year over year and hotel rates jumping about 39% as the 2026 FIFA World Cup nears. Local Transit Change: Highland Park is launching its own on-demand microtransit service after voting to leave DART.

Air Travel: United Airlines is bringing back nonstop daily flights to Venezuela—Houston to Caracas starts Aug. 11, restoring a major link after nearly a decade. Retail & Delivery: Amazon Now is expanding ultra-fast 30-minute delivery to more U.S. cities, including Austin and Houston, as the race for speed heats up. Public Safety: A shooting at a Texarkana, Texas plant parking lot left two men dead and a woman injured; police say it stemmed from a domestic dispute, with the suspect previously convicted and released on parole in 2025. Health Watch: Tick bites are rising nationwide, and experts warn not to assume a cold winter will wipe out the risk. World Cup Buzz (Texas): Cape Verde vs. Saudi Arabia is set for June 26 at NRG Stadium in Houston, with ticket demand climbing. Minor League Sports: Frisco RoughRiders’ Dylan Dreiling was named Texas League Player of the Week after a big power week.

Border Tragedy: Federal agents are investigating the deaths of six people found dead inside a Union Pacific cargo boxcar at a rail yard near the Texas-Mexico border in Laredo, with a seventh body later found in San Antonio; autopsies are underway and officials suspect heat stroke/hyperthermia tied to a possible smuggling attempt. Oil & Travel Costs: Global oil prices jumped to around $105 a barrel as US-Iran ceasefire talks wobble, keeping pressure on gas and airfare—just as AAA expects 45 million Americans to hit the road for Memorial Day. World Cup Prep: Houston is in the final stretch for FIFA World Cup logistics, rolling out more transit service and security planning for seven matches and a big FanFest. Local Crime: Bexar County authorities arrested four women tied to alleged Ulta Beauty thefts totaling more than $16,400. Road Trip Tip: AAA also shared when to drive to dodge the worst Memorial Day traffic.

Iran Talks Fallout: Trump says Iran’s ceasefire response is “totally unacceptable” and the deal is on “life support,” while oil jumps again—keeping travel costs on edge. Gas Tax Push: Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller praised Trump’s consideration of suspending the federal gas tax, aiming for relief at the pump. Houston Crash: A Houston man faces charges in a fatal hit-and-run after police say a Range Rover struck a pedestrian and didn’t stop. School District Decision: Spring Branch ISD is set to vote on whether to close Northbrook Elementary amid a $24M budget shortfall and an “F” rating. Road-Trip Culture: Buc-ee’s fans are debating the most frustrating parking lot rules as the chain expands. Public Health Watch: After a hantavirus cruise outbreak, multiple states—including Texas-linked monitoring—are tracking exposures as quarantines continue. Sports & Travel Buzz: DFW is set to host nine World Cup matches at AT&T Stadium, with the first kicking off in mid-June.